Department for Transport

Travel: Coronavirus

lord bourne of aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to conducting COVID-19 checks at (1) airports, and (2) other points of entry into the UK.

baroness vere of norbiton: Limiting the spread of COVID-19 at all points of international entry is of paramount importance to the Government. The Department for Transport has engaged extensively with stakeholders on measures to help prevent the spread of the virus, including the provision of advice and guidance to passengers and staff. The Secretary of State for Transport confirmed in the House of Commons on 2 July that we are considering all options which might provide reassurance to passengers.

Aviation: Coronavirus

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ability of consumers to cancel and claim refunds for flights booked before the COVID-19 pandemic because one or more of their party have developed mental health difficulties resulting from the restrictions put in place to address the pandemic.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Government recognises the challenges businesses and consumers are experiencing regarding refunds for cancelled holidays and flights. Airlines are working hard to answer the high call volumes and to process the very large number of applications for refunds. The Government appreciates the frustration consumers may be experiencing. We have been clear with industry that when consumers are entitled to a refund and ask for one, refunds must be paid. The Department for Transport is in regular conversation with UK airlines and wider membership bodies, and is working closely with the sector, the regulator and consumer groups to help ensure airlines deliver on their commitments. The safety and well-being of consumers is paramount. However, where a consumer had made the decision to cancel their flight, any refunds or rearrangement of travel would be a matter for the airline in question and its policy in relation to refunds and/or booking amendments. In addition, the consumer’s travel insurance or credit card provider may also be able to provide assistance in such cases. Consumers are advised to check with their travel insurance or credit card providers as they may be able to seek redress.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Biofuels: Subsidies

lord vinson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total level of subsidy given to (1) private, and (2) commercial, users in 2019 to encourage the burning of woodchip; and what was the total level provided to all users from 2015 to 2019 inclusive.

lord callanan: Subsidies for burning woodchip are paid under three renewable energy schemes. The Renewables Obligation (RO) scheme and the Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme support the generation of renewable electricity. The RO does not pay a direct subsidy; support is through tradeable renewable electricity certificates. The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme supports renewable heat technologies. The table below sets out the spend under each scheme relating to the use of solid biomass (information is not available relating to the burning of woodchip specifically). The RO and CFD schemes do not distinguish between private or commercial users, although the users are mainly commercial. In the CFD scheme there were no payments made for generation from solid biomass before 2016.  The figures for GB are as follows: SchemeSpend (£m)20192015-2019RO – solid biomass[1]9914,338CFD4081,063[2]Renewable Heat Incentive  Domestic biomass boiler52237Non-domestic solid biomass boiler3731,419Non-domestic biomass CHP47100Total4711,757Overall total1,8707,158   [1] The RO figures are based on Ofgem’s certificate report as at 17 June 2020 from their Renewables and CHP Register[2] CFD payments for generators using solid biomass are for 2016-2019 as no payments were made before 2016

Boilers: Carbon Emissions

lord foster of bath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 16 June (HL4962),what assessment they have made, if any, of the impact on carbon dioxide emissions of fitting all (1) new social housing developments, (2) replacement boilers in social housing, (3) new houses, and (4) replacement boilers in all houses, with stored passive flue gas heat recovery technology in each year to 2025.

lord callanan: Introduced in 2018, Boiler Plus regulations raised standards for all domestic boiler installations, supporting efforts to reduce carbon emissions while making it easier and cheaper to heat homes. In addition to raising the minimum efficiency standards for boilers, the regulations required an additional energy efficiency measure to be installed alongside combination gas boilers that accounted for 78% of the market. The measures include flue gas heat recovery. Many system boilers and most regular boilers on the market were incompatible with flue gas heat recovery systems and compensation controls when boiler plus regulations were introduced and therefore were exempt from the requirement. The extent to which a passive flue gas heat recovery system can increase the efficiency of a dwelling and reduce natural gas consumption is dependent on many factors including the annual space heating and domestic hot water demand of the specific building and importantly whether the system installed has built-in thermal storage. However, analysis showed that the typical household could increase boiler efficiency between 1% to 5% by adding a passive flue gas heat recovery system.

Biofuels: Carbon Emissions

lord vinson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of any subsidies provided to incentivise the burning of woodchip on reducing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

lord callanan: The Government keeps the impact of the burning of biomass, including woodchip, on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions under review. The UK only supports biomass for heat and electricity generation which complies with strict sustainability criteria, and generating stations utilising biomass only receive subsidies in respect of compliant biomass. These criteria include a minimum 60% lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions saving, compared to emissions from an EU fossil fuel comparator for electricity. The calculation requires transport, growing and processing emissions to be included. The greenhouse gas savings requirement will be tightened in a trajectory to 2025. Those plants using biomass, with a capacity greater than or equal to one megawatt, must also prepare an annual sustainability report, compiled by a third-party auditor/verifier which will provide assurance that biomass is from sustainable sources. Recent analysis done in relation to the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme estimated lifetime carbon savings as follows:  Lifetime carbon savings (MtCO2e) from RHI installations (for all types of solid biomass, not just woodchip).Domestic biomass boilers2.4Non-domestic biomass boilers37.5Biomass CHP3.9Total43.8

Personal Care Services: Coronavrus

baroness bennett of manor castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteriathey have used (1) topermit hairdressers to open, and (2) to decide that the providers of other close contact businesses, including (a) massage, and (b) wellbeing and holistic, services should not open,from 4 July. [T]

lord callanan: Following my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s announcement, from 4 July hairdressers and barbers in England will be able to reopen, to offer hairdressing services, once they are following the COVID-secure guidelines.We are taking a phased, cautious approach to reopening our economy, and other close contact services, like massage plus wellbeing and holistic services, remain closed until further notice. There is often greater risk of transmission due to prolonged periods of face-to-face contact and close proximity between staff and customers.We appreciate that this is difficult for businesses, and we are working with businesses, trade associations and medical experts on the safest way to reopen close contact services, such as massage plus wellbeing and holistic services, as it is safe to do so. Our approach is guided by the scientific and medical advice, and every step is weighed against the evidence.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Republic of Ireland: Foreign Relations

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements they have made to meet with the new Taoiseach and his ministerial team to discuss (1) Anglo-Irish relations; (2) the COVID-19 pandemic; and (3) Brexit.

baroness sugg: Ireland is a close friend and neighbour to the UK. As the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland tweeted over the weekend of 27/28 June, we welcome the formation of a new Irish Government and we look forward to continued close working with Ireland. The Prime Minister and the new Taoiseach spoke on Tuesday 30 June, and other UK Ministers have already been in contact with their counterparts on a range of issues including: the bilateral relationship and foreign policy, especially following Ireland's election to the UN Security Council; Northern Ireland; our joint response to and recovery from Covid-19; and our future relationship with the EU.

Department of Health and Social Care

Coronavirus: Disease Control

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of having an open border with France on the COVID-19 R rate.

lord bethell: The scientific advice is that, when domestic transmission of COVID-19 is reduced, new health measures at the border are an important part of managing the risk of new cases entering the United Kingdom from abroad and contributing to a second peak of the virus. From 8 June, all passengers arriving in the UK without having travelled through another part of the Common Travel Area must provide their contact details and will be required to self-isolate for 14 days, apart from those who belong to an exempted group. This approach aims to manage the risk of imported cases from abroad, whilst still allowing the UK to maintain essential supply chains and infrastructure and respect our international obligations.

Speech and Language Therapy: Coronavirus

lord bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what actions they have taken to ensure that personal protection equipment is available to all speech and language therapists treating patients with swallowing difficulties as a result of COVID-19.

lord bethell: We are working around the clock to give the social care sector and wider National Health Service the equipment and support they need to tackle this outbreak.The Government published Coronavirus (COVID-19): Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) plan on 10 April. It incorporates guidance on who needs PPE and when they need it, routes to ensure those who need it can get it at the right time and sets out actions to secure enough PPE to last through the crisis. A copy of the guidance is attached.Sourcing sufficient supplies of PPE is a challenge that many countries are facing. We are working to expand supply from overseas, improve domestic manufacturing capability and expand and improve the logistics network for delivering to the frontline.The full weight of the Government is behind this effort and we are working closely with industry, social care providers, the NHS, and the army to ensure the right equipment continues to be delivered.



COVID 19 PPE Plan
(PDF Document, 1.25 MB)

Coronavirus: Protective Clothing

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase access by the public to face coverings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord bethell: Evidence from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) suggests that face coverings may help reduce the risk of transmission if someone is suffering from COVID-19, but not showing symptoms. Social distancing and hand hygiene remain the most important ways to guard against the virus, face coverings may help prevent individuals who have coronavirus but are not presenting symptoms from spreading it to others.We are asking people to make their own face coverings at home, using scarves or other textile items. We have published guidance to show people how to do this which can be found online. We urge the public not to purchase medical or surgical masks as these must be reserved for health and social care workers who face the greatest risk.

Dental Services: Coronavirus

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the number of available appointments in dental surgeries given shortages in personal protective equipment, the requirement to follow social distancing measures and reduced public confidence, and (2) the impact on dental health of reductions in dental services following the Covid-19 pandemic.

lord bethell: No data is collected centrally on the number of available National Health Service appointments in dental practices. Routine dental care has been restarted but safety of clinicians and patients is the priority. As with almost all areas of healthcare the infection prevention and control requirements of the pandemic period mean that at least initially dentists will be able to deliver fewer treatments per day. NHS England and NHS Improvement has been clear that dentists should only increase service as fast as is compatible with maximising safety.Most high street dentists purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) via dental wholesalers which supply a range of equipment needed by dentists including PPE. During the COVID-19 pandemic the Government is working closely with industry, the National Health Service, social care providers and the army to ensure that PPE is delivered to those who need it. Our priority is ensuring the safety of patients and all health care workers, including dentists. This includes supporting dental wholesalers to stock the equipment needed by general dental practice to safely support practices to restart face to face dental care. NHS England and NHS Improvement took steps to minimise any impact of the suspension of routine dentistry at the peak of the pandemic by setting up urgent dental centres to deliver treatment urgently needed. Urgent dental treatment has therefore been available throughout the pandemic period through the over 600 such centres set up. These centres continue to operate through the restart period ensuring that patients who need urgent treatment can receive it.

Coronavirus: Charitable Donations

lord ramsbotham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how the money raised for the NHS by Captain Sir Tom Moore has been allocated.

lord bethell: The money raised for the National Health Service by Captain Sir Tom Moore has been received by NHS Charities Together as part of the COVID-19 Urgent Appeal. NHS Charities Together launched the COVID-19 Urgent Appeal in March 2020 to help NHS charities support NHS staff, volunteers and patients, in meeting immediate and urgent needs and supporting the long-term recovery from the impact of the crisis.NHS Charities Together are the chief partner to the country’s NHS Charities and are best placed to make decisions on how the money raised will be distributed. They are working with their members to identify where additional support is most urgently needed by NHS staff, volunteers and patients. They are particularly focused on providing support for people who are disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 crisis, including patients and staff from the black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.

Disease Control: International Cooperation

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the degree and effectiveness of international scientific collaboration on pandemics such as SARS and COVID-19; and what proposals they have for enhancing collaboration in regard to causation and responses, particularly, testing and vaccines.

lord bethell: Whilst we have made no specific assessment, the Government is committed to ensure that the United Kingdom continues to be one of the best places in the world for research and innovation and is at the forefront of health and social care research internationally and specifically, global research on pandemics.The UK has pledged £388 million in aid funding for research into vaccines, tests and treatments which is part of a larger £744 million existing commitment to help end the pandemic and support the global economy. This also includes £250 million for global Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations to develop vaccines against coronaviruses. The UK will also provide £330 million a year for the next five years to the Global Vaccine Alliance, readying it to distribute a COVID-19 vaccine in developing countries.

Doctors: Protective Clothing

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of research by the Doctors' Association UK which found that that six in 10 doctors have not had access to scrubs.

lord bethell: NHS Supply Chain, the main provider of consumables and equipment into the National Health Service, report that their suppliers have sufficient supplies of scrubs for NHS customers to order.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the remarks made by the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP on 12 June that “whilst the impact of such discharges meant the NHS was never short of beds or ventilators, it seems extraordinary that no one appeared to consider the clinical risk to care homes despite widespread knowledge that the virus could be carried asymptomatically.”

lord bethell: Throughout our coronavirus response we have kept our policies under continuous review based on the emerging international and domestic evidence and have worked tirelessly with the care sector and public health experts to reduce transmission and save lives.On 15 April, we published COVID-19: Our Action Plan for Adult Social Care. This set out that all patients are required to be tested prior to discharge to a care home. A copy is attached.Patients are discharged when it is clinically safe and they no longer need acute care. Wherever possible, people who are clinically ready should be supported to return to their place of residence, where assessment of longer-term needs will take place. This approach follows the ‘discharge to assess’ model, to support timely and appropriate discharge from hospital.As our understanding of the virus has changes throughout the course of the pandemic, we have continued to develop our policy. Our current policy is that due to evidence of asymptomatic spread, during periods of sustained transmission we recommend that all residents being discharged from hospital or interim care facilities to the care home and new residents admitted from the community should be isolated for 14 days within their own room. For care home residents, around 70% of people living in care homes for the over 65s have dementia. It is important they return to their familiar environments when they are clinically ready, with the personalised support and daily activities in place that help them to live well with dementia. This can be better achieved in their care home, rather than the hospital.We have made £1.3 billion funding available via the National Health Service to help patients who no longer need urgent treatment to get home from hospital safely and quickly. We have also made £3.2 billion available to local authorities so they can address pressures on local services caused by the pandemic, including in adult social care. On 13 May we announced an additional £600 million to support care home providers through a new Adult Social Care Infection Control Fund.



Adult Social Care Action Plan
(PDF Document, 284.73 KB)

Parkinson's Disease: Mental Health Services

baroness gale: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that mental health services will be able to meet any excess demand from people with Parkinson's disease who have not been able to access psychological services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord bethell: The National Health Service has issued guidance to services to support them in managing demand and capacity across inpatient and community mental health services and keeping services open for business.There is broad consensus that there is the potential for an increase in demand and we are working with the NHS, Public Health England and other key partners to gather evidence and assess the potential longer-term mental health impacts and plan for how to support mental health and wellbeing throughout the ‘recovery’ phase.

Parkinson's Disease: Mental Health Services

baroness gale: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures are in place to support the carers and family members of those people with Parkinson's disease who have experienced distressing hallucinations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord bethell: As set out in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline Parkinson’s disease in adults, published in July 2017, symptoms such as hallucinations are an increased risk for people taking some Parkinson’s disease medications. The guidance sets out that people with Parkinson’s disease should have a comprehensive care plan agreed between themselves, their family members and carers and specialist and secondary healthcare providers. A copy of the guidance is attached.



Parkinson's disease in adults
(PDF Document, 148.63 KB)

Coronavirus: Disease Control

lord strasburger: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to use powers conferred by the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (1) to operate the COVID-19 track and trace system, (2) to monitor or enforce lockdown restrictions, and (3) to monitor or enforce quarantine requirements on individuals.

lord bethell: The Government are considering a range of options for managing the effect of the outbreak of COVID-19. A careful assessment of any implications for civil liberties (including the impact on human rights, equality and privacy) will be an important part of those considerations.The national lockdown measures were eased on 4 July and whilst police have powers of enforcement, the policy relies on the four Es approach; engage, explain, encourage, enforce. Where necessary fixed penalty charge notices can be issued in certain circumstances.The Investigatory Powers Act makes clear that the powers it provides for can only be used for specific statutory purposes, where it is necessary and proportionate to do so.

Mortality Rates

lord shipley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the data published by the Office for National Statistics which demonstrates that 19 local authorities in England have recorded excess death rates in 2020 that are more than twice the UK average excess death rates.

lord bethell: We have made no such assessment but we are learning as much as we can, as quickly as we can about this virus, who it affects and how best to keep everyone safe and protect those who may be more vulnerable than others.We asked Public Health England (PHE) to undertake a rapid review into disparities in deaths from COVID-19 and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Equalities (Kemi Badenoch MP) has been tasked with leading the work arising from PHE’s report published on 2 June. The Terms of Reference for that work were published on 4 June.

Public Health: Coronavirus

lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to invest additional resources into public health to help public health teams meet any backlog in the demand for services which had to be stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord bethell: The Government has provided £3.2 billion of additional funding for local government to help them respond to COVID-19 pressures across the services they deliver. Local authorities will take spending decisions based on local priorities and the Government is keeping the position under review.Funding beyond 2020/21 will be set out at the next spending review.

Coronavirus: Germany

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of Germany's 'R' rate for COVID-19 reportedly increasing to 2.88.

lord bethell: As the number of new cases declines, R becomes a less helpful indicator and the amount of uncertainty around its exact value increases. This uncertainty may be due to variability in the underlying data, leading to a wider range for R and more frequent changes in the estimates. Additionally, R is an average measure. When the number of new cases is low, R will be more volatile and sensitive to individual outbreaks. An outbreak in one local area can result in the estimate of R for the entire region being pushed above 1. We believe this could be the case in Germany. When the number of new cases decreases to a low level it becomes more important to monitor other indicators.

Contact Tracing: Coronavirus

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that those contacted by the NHS COVID-19 test, track and trace scheme fully cooperate with it, following the pilot tracing scheme in Sheffield where two-thirds of COVID-19 contacts failed to comply.

lord bethell: The Government launched the NHS Test and Trace service on 28 May 2020.Since its introduction, NHS Test and Trace have traced the contacts of thousands of positive cases, using both online services and over the phone, and we are encouraged by the progress so far and user feedback.We are asking anyone who has been told to self-isolate to follow the advice given and we are confident that the vast majority will do so in order to play their part in reducing the spread of the virus to keep themselves, their families and communities safe and to protect the National Health Service. However, if we find that people are not complying with isolation instructions, we will not hesitate to introduce tougher measures.

Palantir: Data Protection

lord freyberg: To ask Her Majesty's Government why the Data Protection Impact Assessment of Palantir’s role in combining NHS data had no analysis of data analytics as contained in their G-Cloud 11 call-Off contract (version 4); and whether they intend to publish an additional report to cover this.

lord bethell: Whilst we have made no specific assessment, the Government is committed to ensure that the United Kingdom continues to be one of the best places in the world for research and innovation and is at the forefront of health and social care research internationally and specifically, global research on pandemics.The UK has pledged £388 million in aid funding for research into vaccines, tests and treatments which is part of a larger £744 million existing commitment to help end the pandemic and support the global economy. This also includes £250 million for global Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations to develop vaccines against coronaviruses. The UK will also provide £330 million a year for the next five years to the Global Vaccine Alliance, readying it to distribute a COVID-19 vaccine in developing countries.

NHSX: Faculty

lord freyberg: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish a Data Protection Impact Assessment ofFaculty AI’swork on data dashboards and modelling for NHSX.

lord bethell: The Data Protection Impact Assessment is already published online by NHS England.

New Businesses: Coronavirus

lord freyberg: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to increase (1) access to data controlled by the NHS, and (2) associated opportunities to innovate, for UK start-ups and SMEs (a) during, and (b) after, the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord bethell: To simplify access to data controlled by the National Health Service and encourage innovation partnerships, the Government is developing a policy framework underpinned by five guiding principles. This will offer support and guidance to NHS organisations that are considering entering into data access agreements with researchers and commercial partners.The framework is expected to be published later this year and is being developed in consultation with patient representative groups, health and data experts, NHS bodies and industry. To support the NHS in embedding the framework in practice, the Government has set up a National Centre of Expertise in NHSX to provide commercial and legal expertise to NHS organisations on agreeing fair terms when negotiating partnerships.The Government has also committed funding for the Digital Innovation Hubs Programme which aims to enable a United Kingdom-wide life sciences environment that provides responsible and safe access to rich, research-ready health data, technology and science, research and innovation services.

Coronavirus: Mental Health

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the scale of the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

lord bethell: There is broad consensus that there is the potential for an increase in demand and we are working with the National Health Service, Public Health England and others to gather evidence and assess the potential longer-term mental health impacts and plan for how to support mental health and wellbeing throughout the ‘recovery’ phase.We have released tailored online guidance to help people deal with their mental health at GOV.UK and Every Mind Matters.NHS mental health services have remained open for business, offering support using digital, telephone and face-to-face approaches as appropriate. We have provided £5 million of additional funding for mental health charities to support adults and children and we have announced a further £4.2 million for mental health charities as part of the Government’s UK-wide £750 million package of support for the voluntary sector.

Diabetes: Medical Equipment

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Noctura 400 Sleep Mask as a treatment for diabetic retinopathy patients.

lord bethell: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published a Medtech Innovation Briefing (MIB) on the Noctura 400 Sleep Mask for diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular oedema in April 2018 [reference number MIB144]. MIBs provide information to National Health Service and care commissioners and staff who are considering using new medical devices and other medical or diagnostic technologies.

Department for International Development

Department for International Development: Reorganisation

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement by the Prime Minister on 16 June about the merger of the Department for International Development and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (HC Deb, cols 666–8), what assessment they have made of the impact of this merger on their support available to people living in Africa; and what steps they are taking to ensure that any future use of Overseas Development Assistance supports the most disadvantaged groups living there.

baroness sugg: We recognise the continuing importance of UK support across Africa to help the most vulnerable people. The UK is supporting African women and girls in giving them greater control to plan their lives, fulfil their potential and play a vital role in their countries’ futures, as well as addressing the issues caused by Africa being identified as the continent scheduled to be worst affected by the devastating impacts of climate change. Strengthening our partnership with African nations is a key element of our Global Britain vision, building on the progress made at the UK-Africa Investment Summit.The merger fuses the best of our development expertise and world-leading diplomacy together. All the things that have made the UK a world leader in development will not change. The work of UK aid to reduce poverty will remain central to the new department’s mission.Organisational plans for the new department are currently being shaped. The full details of the merger, including the structure of the new department, will be set out in due course.

Department for Education

Schools: Pharmacy

lord clement-jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the number of applicants to pharmacy schools in England.

baroness berridge: Universities are autonomous bodies, independent from government, and they have control over decisions about who to admit to their courses. However, overall numbers of students studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are rising. We are encouraging more students into STEM, at all stages of their education, and in 2019 there were 54,000 more entries to STEM A levels than in 2010 – a 26% increase. Data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) also shows that the share of students studying science subjects at English higher education institutions has increased from 41% in 2010/11 to 46% in 2018/19.In 2018/19, there were 3,020 full-time undergraduate enrolments to pharmacy, up from 2,715 in 2010/11[1]. Despite rising STEM student numbers, we are far from complacent and we know that employer groups continue to point to an unmet demand for higher level STEM skills. Effective careers guidance and advice is key to supporting young people in their education and career choices to undertake learning and develop skills in the areas employers are looking for. The government’s Careers Strategy sets out a long-term plan to build a world class careers system to achieve this ambition. We are increasing the information available to students to ensure they can make informed choices about what and where to study. The delivery of the Careers Strategy also ensures that STEM encounters, such as with employers and apprenticeships, are built into school career programmes.  [1] Department for Education's analysis of HESA student record

The Senior Deputy Speaker

House of Lords: Trimble

lord campbell-savours: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what contractual arrangements, if any, exist between the House of Lords room booking service and Trimble Manhattan Space Scheduling.

lord laming: The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf. Trimble Space Scheduling (TSS), formally Trimble Manhattan Space Scheduling, provide the room bookings software which is used by the House of Lords Attendants’ Office to co-ordinate the bookings of committee rooms and meeting rooms. The software is provided under a contract between the Corporate Officer of the House of Lords　and the Corporate Officer of the House of Commons,　and　Trimble Space Scheduling. The Parliamentary Digital Service has day-to-day responsibility for oversight of arrangements under the contract.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Local Government: Infrastructure and Public Transport

lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to give councils long-term, devolved infrastructure and public transport budgets.

lord greenhalgh: The Government is committed to levelling up the country and giving communities more control over how investment is spent so that they can decide what is best for them. The forthcoming White Paper on devolution will set out the framework for future local growth funding, ensuring budgets are devolved to the right spatial level to unleash the potential of our regions and deliver on levelling up. In 2020/21, the Government is allocating over £1.7 billion for local highways maintenance and improvements to local highways authorities in England, outside London, through the Transport Infrastructure Investment Fund. We will also provide £4.2 billion from 2022-23 for five-year funding settlements for eight Mayoral Combined Authorities, building on the success of the Transforming Cities Fund, as set out in the Budget earlier this year.

Ministry of Defence

Nigeria: Military Aid

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement by the government of Nigeria that “in concert with our American and British allies, Nigeria’s military have pushed back the terrorists” on 19 June, what is the mandate of the British Armed Forces operating in north-east Nigeria.

baroness goldie: British Armed Forces activity in North East Nigeria is covered under an Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and Nigeria that was signed in 2019, and is called Operation TURUS. The mission statement for TURUS is: Influence and train the operational capability and capacity of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and Multi-National Joint Task Force, in order to counter Violent Extremist Organisation activity in the North East of Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin area and contribute to Her Majesty's Government's policy goals and objectives.

Department for Work and Pensions

Universal Credit

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of Universal Credit recipients are subject to the (1) two-child benefit limit, and (2) benefit cap, broken down by ethnic group.

baroness stedman-scott: The Department cannot precisely quantify the proportion of households by ethnic group that are affected by these policies since recording of ethnicity on benefits administrative data is voluntary and, as such, not sufficiently reliable.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Domestic Waste: Recycling

baroness crawley: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they estimate the recycling rate for waste from British households will exceed the former EU target of 50 per cent; and whether, following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, they have dropped that target.

lord goldsmith of richmond park: The Government is committed to exceeding the 50% target for recycling household waste and this target remains in legislation. The Government has not prepared an estimate of when the UK will exceed this target. The latest UK recycling rate published in March 2020 showed that the UK recycled 45% of household waste in 2018. The Government has also committed to recycle 65% of municipal waste in England by 2035 and set out measures to achieve this target in the Resources and Waste Strategy and the Environment Bill.

Veterinary Services: Antimicrobials

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the UK's progress in reducing the human consumption of veterinary antimicrobials; how this progress compares with that of other European countries; and whether the collection of data at farm level is adequate.

lord gardiner of kimble: The Government is committed to reducing unnecessary use of antibiotics in animals. Over the last five years (2014-18) our approach has seen a 53% decrease in antibiotic sales for farmed animals, including a drop of two thirds in those antibiotics most critically important for human health, and in 2017 the UK had the fifth lowest level of antibiotic consumption in food-producing animals of the 31 European countries reporting these data. This has been achieved through working collaboratively with vets and farmers, most notably through the Targets Task Force chaired by the Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance to implement the goals of the UK National Action Plan, recognising that good farm management, biosecurity, and animal husbandry systems are crucial to minimise the occurrence of disease and therefore the need for antibiotics. The UK’s sales and surveillance data is published in our annual Veterinary Annual Sales and Surveillance report and presents antibiotic usage data from ten sectors including the pig, poultry and fish industries. This data is collected on a voluntary basis by the livestock sectors and shared with the Veterinary Medicines Directorate; this demonstrates a strong willingness to share data openly and UK farming sectors are continuing to refine and develop new systems for collecting, and reporting on, antibiotic usage. Data on human consumption of antimicrobials is monitored and published annually by Public Health England in its English Surveillance Programme for Antimicrobial Utilisation and Resistance[1] report. [1] The English Surveillance Programme for Antimicrobial Utilisation and Resistance (ESPAUR), run by Public Health England, develops and maintains robust surveillance systems for monitoring and reporting trends in antimicrobial use and to develop systems to optimise antimicrobial prescribing across healthcare settings. The ESPAUR report 2018 to 2019 can be viewed here:  assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/843129/English_Surveillance_Programme_for_Antimicrobial_Utilisation_and_Resistance_2019.pdf.

Home Office

Nitrous Oxide: Crime

baroness harris of richmond: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to make the possession of nitrous oxide for personal recreational purposes an offence.

baroness williams of trafford: There are no plans to change the law to make the possession of Nitrous Oxide for personal use an offence. Possession with intent to supply is already unlawful and we have no plans to change that. Nitrous Oxide is a psychoactive substance and subject to the provisions in the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 (the 2016 Act). It is an offence under the 2016 Act to produce, supply, offer to supply, possess with intent to supply, import and export a psychoactive substance, subject to certain exemptions. It is also an offence to possess a psychoactive substance in a custodial institution, subject to certain exemptions.

Cabinet Office

Honours

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to (1) review, and (2) update, the imagery used on awards given in the honours system.

lord true: We are aware of a petition on the Order of St Michael and St George. The premise of this petition is factually incorrect – the insignia for the Order of St Michael and St George was updated in 2011, and the design referred in the petition is no longer used. Any current recipient of a pre-2011 insignia is able to receive one with the updated design, on request.Matters regarding insignia are for the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals (also known as the ‘HD Committee’). The independent Officers of the Order of St Michael and St George may advise the Committee in relation to their Order. The Committee then gives advice to the Sovereign.In light of the change in 2011, it is the view of Ministers in Her Majesty's Government that there is no need for any specific review.

British Irish Council

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) when the next meeting of the British-Irish Council will take place; and (2) what will be the subjects for discussion.

lord true: The 34th British-Irish Council Heads of Administration Summit was due to take place in June 2020 hosted by the Scottish Government. In light of the unprecedented circumstances created by the Covid-19 situation, which has affected all eight of the Council’s Member Administrations, the Summit was postponed.It is anticipated that the next summit will take place in late 2020, in keeping with the usual pattern. Discussions between the member administrations on the agenda, theme and form are ongoing. Arrangements will be informed by the latest public health advice at the time.UK Government officials continue to remain active in progressing the work of the Council through remote working and virtual meetings across the 11 work sectors.

Treasury

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

lord forsyth of drumlean: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Agnew of Oulton on 22 June (HL5467) and given that notice payments to employees who are being made redundant are not redundancy payments, whether they will now answer the question put, namely whether it is their intention that employers are reimbursed under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for employees who are under notice of redundancy.

lord agnew of oulton: Pay during the redundancy notice period is based on the individual’s rights under their contract of employment and the statutory right to notice pay (under section 86 and the following sections of the Employment Rights Act 1996). The rules on statutory notice pay are complex and depend on whether the employer is required to give only statutory notice, or at least a week more than statutory notice, and whether the employee has normal working hours or not. For any period of notice which exceeds the minimum statutory requirement, the terms of the contract of employment would need to be considered. In these very difficult times, the Government would not expect an employer to take advantage of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which has brought benefit to employers and employees alike, to make someone redundant on less favourable terms than they would otherwise have received.

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whetheran employer can claim a grant under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for those employees who were furloughed for three weeks prior to 30 June, who have since returned to work full-time, but where the employer wants them to work part-time from 1 July.

lord agnew of oulton: From 1 July 2020, employers can bring back to work employees that have previously been furloughed, for any amount of time and any shift pattern, while still being able to claim a CJRS grant for their usual hours not worked. This includes employees who have previously returned to work full-time but where the employer wants them to work part-time from 1 July. From this date, only employees that an employer has successfully claimed a previous grant for will be eligible for more grants under the scheme. This means employees must have previously been furloughed for at least three consecutive weeks taking place any time between 1 March and 30 June 2020.

National Insurance Contributions: Coronavirus

baroness neville-rolfe: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the research paper by the Taxpayers' AllianceTax reforms to secure a recovery from coronavirus, published on 3 June,what assessment they have made of the impact of employers’ national insurance contributions on the sustainability of supply chains; and what plans they have, if any, (1) to abolish the requirement for employers to contribute to national insurance, and (2) to replace those contributions with a payroll tax of 10 per cent on wages above £4,500 per annum.

lord agnew of oulton: The Government considers all aspects of its support to businesses together and has therefore made no specific assessment of the impact of employers’ national insurance contributions on the sustainability of supply chains. The Government has provided unprecedented levels of support to businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, tax deferrals, a business rates holiday, and other business support grants. While the Government keeps all taxes under review, there are no current plans to abolish employer national insurance contributions and to replace them with a payroll tax.

Females: Self-employment Income Support Scheme

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the ending of the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme on women.

lord agnew of oulton: The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) continues to be one of the most generous self-employed COVID-19 support schemes in the world as the economy reopens. The Government takes care to pay due regard to the equality impacts of its policy decisions relating to the Covid-19 outbreak, including the equality impacts of the SEISS, in line with all legal requirements and the Government’s commitment to promoting equality. HMRC have published statistics about the number and value of SEISS claims made by 31 May, including a breakdown by gender. These can be found on the Gov.uk website.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Broadband: Standards

lord stevenson of balmacara: To ask Her Majesty's Government what involvement they have in Community Fibre Partnerships; and what assessment they have made of the impact of that scheme on the cost to consumers of better broadband connections.

baroness barran: Community-led schemes, including Community Fibre Partnerships, allow a group of premises to work together to upgrade their broadband connection through a joint funding arrangement with any broadband supplier who offers it. Community Fibre Partnerships can be successful in lowering the cost of improving broadband connections across a community, such schemes are not government run or administered. A Community Fibre Partnership is specifically only offered by Openreach and is but one example of a community-led broadband scheme. Such community-led schemes can take a variety of different forms to help suit the needs of the individual community. Further details of such schemes can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/community-led-broadband-schemes/introduction-to-community-led-schemes. There are a variety of funding sources to help communities commence a community-led scheme. The Government has set out a number of alternative schemes to help businesses and residents upgrade their broadband connection through a community partnership. A rural component of the Scheme launched in May 2019 with funding provided through the Rural Gigabit Connectivity (RGC) programme. Up to £3,500 is available to rural SMEs and up to £1,500 for rural premises is available to support the installation of gigabit-capable broadband when part of a group scheme. These vouchers can be used in community broadband projects to offset the cost of installing gigabit-capable connectivity that communities would otherwise wholly fund themselves.

Parliamentary Works Sponsor Body

*No heading*

lord hylton: To ask the Parliamentary Works Sponsor Body whether the Strategic Review of the Restoration and Renewal Programme will be conducted by one person, or corporately by the Sponsor Body.

baroness scott of needham market: The strategic review is being led by the chief executives of the Sponsor Body and Delivery Authority, Sarah Johnson and David Goldstone, with support from infrastructure and programme management experts drawn from both organisations. The chairs of the Sponsor Body and Delivery Authority, Liz Peace and Mike Brown, will also provide input.As the review progresses input and challenge will also be sought from a challenge group including representatives from both Houses and externally.The review is expected to conclude in the autumn and its findings will be considered by the Sponsor Body Board and the Commissions of both Houses in the first instance.

Ministry of Justice

Administration of Justice: Equality

lord bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to implement the recommendations of the report by the Equality and Human Rights Commissions Inclusive Justice: a system designed for all, published on 22 April.

lord keen of elie: The government welcomes the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s report, Inclusive Justice, the interim findings of which were published on 22 April, and the full report on 11 June 2020. The recommendations made in the report are being carefully considered.

Women and Equalities

Coronavirus: Disease Control

baroness ritchie of downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had, and with whom, about the lack of recommendations in the report by Public Health England’s Disparities in the risk and outcomes of COVID-19, published in June, on how to tackle racial and health inequalities that have been amplified by COVID-19.

baroness berridge: The Government commissioned Public Health England to conduct an epidemiological review to analyse how different factors can impact on people’s health outcomes from COVID-19. This was published on 2 June 2020. This review is an important piece of work which sets out firm conclusions, and the Minister for Equalities is working with the Race Disparity Unit, Department for Health and Social Care and other departments to take forward work to build on PHE’s review, and work across government to take appropriate steps to mitigate disparities identified.In parallel, Professor Kevin Fenton separately engaged with a significant number of individuals and organisations within the BAME community to hear their views, concerns and ideas about the impact of COVID-19 on their communities. This separate report, ‘COVID-19:understanding the impact on BAME communities’, was published on GOV.UK on 16 June 2020.The recommendations from the second report will also be taken forward through the terms of reference for Government’s next steps to address the disparities identified in the PHE report, announced on 4 June.